Journalists and guests shared the surreal and confusing scenes from the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner after gunfire erupted on Saturday.
The aftermath of the shooting that sent Secret Service agents rushing President Trump from the dais at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night played out on social media as videos were widely shared of the chaotic and surreal scenes.
An investigation was continuing about the motive of the gunman, identified by two law enforcement officials as Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, Calif. He was taken into custody after running through a security checkpoint and exchanging gunfire with the authorities.
In a ballroom packed with hundreds of journalists who cover the White House, many of them sprang into action with their cellphones and television news cameras to capture what had happened.
‘Shots will be fired tonight’
In a clip that was widely shared, Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, happily told a reporter from Fox News before the dinner that the president’s speech “will be classic Donald J. Trump.”
“It’ll be funny,” she said. “It’ll be entertaining.”
And, she added: “There will be some shots fired tonight in the room. So everyone should tune in. It’s going to be really great.”